


Learning to Fly

by HooperMolly



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Flying, Gen, Heaven, Wings, mentions of Michael + Uriel + Zachariah + God, young angels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-23
Updated: 2012-01-23
Packaged: 2017-10-30 00:18:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/325688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HooperMolly/pseuds/HooperMolly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When God gives the angels wings, most of them find flight to be almost second nature. Castiel does not, so Balthazar teaches him how to use his wings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Learning to Fly

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this months ago but only ever published it on tumblr. I figured I may as well post it here now.

A long time ago heaven was not the sprawling expanse of patchwork places that it is now. Back then days would stretch on and on and the whole of heaven was no bigger than the State of Maine.

Angels did not have wings then, for there was no need. If one wanted to be somewhere else they need only walk on the many roads that criss-crossed the sweet scented lawns and cosy forests. It was like this for many years until one day God gathered all of his children together.

"Things are about to change." He told them with a smile on his face. "Soon you might not be able to walk everywhere you need to go. So I have decided to give you appendages that will make travelling so much faster. I call them wings."

Most of the angels took to their newfound flying abilities like a duck to water, soaring high above the ground. Michael was the first to master this new skill, flying laps of heaven, his silver wings like a bright beacon in the sky as he circled.

Others prefered to stay on the ground, afraid of the extra dimension in their movement options. Castiel was one of those few who preferred to stay grounded, sitting cross legged with his face turned upward towards the sky. His own rather grand black wings were spread out gently behind him, feathers shining in the afternoon light.

For the most part no one bothered those who chose not to fly. After all, there were no orders that they must fly, it was simply a gift from their father to make travelling easier.

But then God created the earth, and the humans. Heaven started to grow as the new children of God died, slowly at first but soon it was growing as fast as the angels could explore it.

Time was starting to run faster, years shrinking until they were the length of what used to be days. Walking from one part of heaven to the next soon became impractical and those who had never learned to fly were compelled to learn or become increasingly isolated.

Then Lucifer rebelled and was cast out, falling down. Heaven fell into disarray, fighting became common and those who could not defend themselves became easy targets. It became a literal case of fight or flight.

Then, once again, God gathered the first of his children, those he had granted wings, and spoke to them.

"You brother Lucifer has fallen. Even as we speak he is gathering his own forces far below where it is always night. One day he will raise his army against us and the earth below us will be the battlefield. I know this because it is as I saw it long ago when I created you all. Michael will led you into battle when the time comes. I have told him the signs to look for and he will share them with you. The time has come for you to organise yourselves. You cannot sit idly by and watch the days go past. You must prepare yourselves for war."

A great wave of excitement spread throughout the angels, or as they began to refer to themselves, the Garrison. Michael and Uriel took it upon themselves to divide their brothers and sisters into groups. Both took the strongest and best liked angels for their own units.

Castiel found himself assigned to the unit led by Zachariah. Of all the angels in his unit, he was the only one who could not fly. He grew withdrawn, hiding from other whenever he was not called upon for duties.

This went on for weeks or perhaps it was closer to months, until one of his brothers, the one known as Balthazar, finally approached him about the matter.

"I’ve never seen you take to the skies." Balthazar spoke softly, more as an observation than an accusation but Castiel took it as the latter.

"I have no need to fly." He responded as plainly as he could, but Balthazar did not believe him.

"You are afraid."

Castiel shook his head a little more wildly than he intended to. Angels were no longer allowed to have emotions. Michael had forbade them saying that they were for the weak. ("Humans have emotions. We are not humans." He had said firmly.)

"It’s okay Castiel. I was afraid too. But once you are up there you will feel nothing but alive."

As Balthazar spoke his wings flexed behind him, the pale shimmering gold casting a soft glow over the ground about the angel’s feet.

"Can you teach me?" Castiel asked, after a long period of silence.

"Teach you Cassy? Of course. For you I can do anything."

After a minor argument which ended with Balthazar promising not to call Castiel ‘Cassy’ again, Balthazar set about showing Castiel the correct way to move one’s wings so as to sustain flight. Then he proceeded to launch himself upwards, until he was hovering twenty feet off the ground, his golden wings sparkling brightly in contrast with the brilliant blue of the sky.

"Come on Castiel. Move your wings like I showed you. You only have to come as high as me, no further."

It took a concentrated effort on Castiel’s part for him to co-ordinate the flapping of his wings at the right speed. Shakily he managed to flutter up to where Balthazar was still hovering.

"How do you feel?" Balthazar queried, his brow furrowed with concern.

"I’m fine," was Castiel’s murmured response as he focuses on maintaining a steady beat of his charcoal coloured wings.

"Are you right to go a little bit higher then?" Castiel nodded, swallowing his nerves as he watched Balthazar soar up another 20 feet.

Everything was going well until Castiel reached the 30 feet mark. His right wing had fallen out of time with his left wing and in his panic he was unable to rematch the rhythm. Suddenly he was falling, and he closed his eyes and braced himself for impact.

But then a warmth enveloped him and his decent was slowed until he was being set down upright on the ground. Castiel savoured the feeling of the solid earth beneath his feet again.

"They are laughing at me." He whispered in a hurt voice.

Several angels had gathered to watch the last of their brothers learn to fly, his fall a source of apparent amusement to them.

"Ignore them." Balthazar told him.

"But they’re right. What good am I? I don’t have any special powers, I don’t have any rank. I can’t even fly. What do I have?" His voice was hollow and dejected.

"Well, you’ve always got little old me."

In those words Castiel saw a promise. A promise from Balthazar to never give up on him.

"Yes." He smiled. "I’ll always have you."

**Author's Note:**

> The shameless Calthazar shipper in me wanted the final exchange between Cas and Balthazar in 6.22 to be even more meaningful and the idea that Balthazar had once promised Cas that he would always have him before settled in my head and wouldn't leave until I wrote this.


End file.
